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“No, thank you. We have to get back. Are you staying Alexandria?”
I wrap an arm around her waiting for her answer. “Yes, I’ll call you guys later.”
"Then, it's time to roll out."
The ladies start gathering their bags, and I turn to Alexandria, "Love…your hair."
“I know,” she groans.
They laugh all the way to the lobby, and Alexandria says her goodbyes. The moment the SUV is out of sight, she turns to me. "I'm ready to go home."
I enter the house, and everyone's waiting for me. Gloria looks relieved, and Tia Marie holds me close to her chest.
“Welcome home,” Tia Marie shouts.
“I know you sent him.”
“She didn’t have to send me, I wouldn’t let you get away twice. Once almost killed me.” I kiss him with all the love I have in my heart. “I’ll be right back.”
"Oh no, you don't!" Gloria yells.
“I’m just going to quilt room to get Mateo’s gift.”
I run up the stairs and return with a box. Mateo, a man with everything, stares at the box with tears in his eyes. “Thank you, mi alma.”
“You don’t even know what it is. Open it.” I push the box closer.
Mateo peels away the metallic white wrapping paper and opens the cardboard box. He knows what it is. He leans over the table, and his mouth covers mine. "Thank you."
“Pull it out.”
He removes the quilt and opens it wide. Gloria and Tia Marie hold each side. Even his father gasps. I repaired his old seams and patched up the holes. I made it bigger by adding pictures from the last week. There’s one with him and his parents, him and his siblings, him and Tia Marie, and us. I even added a picture of the kids. The gratitude in his eyes melts away any lingering doubts.
"Now open yours." I almost forgot about the envelope. I return to my bag and pull it out. I glance around, smiling as everyone waits. I remove the letter. My eyes scan across the words. It's the address and number for Antonio Martinez in Guadalajara. I look up at Mateo with the paper crumbled in my sweaty hands.
“You found my father.” I’m too stunned to cry.
He nods. “We can visit him if you like.”
There’s no other man for me. I’ll have to deal with my mother and grandfather. But I’m not giving Mateo up again, and I'm ready to learn more about the other part of me.
"I would." I fly into his arms. He kisses me, and it eases all the turmoil I feel down in my soul.
"Can we eat? I'm starving." His father calls out, and the family heads into the kitchen.
Mateo leads me by the hand, and I can’t contain the smile on my face or the joy in my heart.
Hours later, we head to bed after the kids open the rest of their gifts. Mateo is floating around the place after his parents decided to stay until the new year, and I don't blame him. The moment the door closes, he starts removing my clothes until I'm naked in my engagement ring. He drops to one knee.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
I undress him taking my sweet time, running my hands all over his body when the realization that he's all mine settles over me. I kiss across his chest, pushing back to the bed. I climb on top of him.
I stare into his eyes. “I love you. I never stopped loving you.”
“I love you too.”
